Coronavirus: Uber suspends pool service in London March 18, 2020 Uber has suspended its pool service in London to help limit the spread of coronavirus. The ride-sharing app made the call last night to suspend the service in London, Paris, the US and Canada. The pool option allows users to share their Uber ride with other people heading in the same direction, but going to [...]
National Express plunges by third as transport stocks hammered by coronavirus home working March 18, 2020 Shares in National Express crashed by a third this morning as investors fled transport stocks over concerns the coronavirus-inspired shift to home working could hit their businesses. National Express shares fell 34 per cent to 86p today. On 28 February its shares were valued at 423p. Go Ahead and First Group have also been hit [...]
Gatwick chief takes 20 per cent pay cut as airport lays off 200 workers March 17, 2020 Gatwick Airport has implemented a number of measures to protect its financial resilience in light of plummeting airline demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. The airport is cutting 200 of its temporary staff and exploring the potential to introduce options for unpaid leave or temporary salary reductions for staff. Chief executive Stewart Wingate will take [...]
Stobart Group confirms sale of Southend Airport stake but warns of coronavirus delay March 17, 2020 Logistics firm Stobart Group has confirmed that it is in talks to sell a 25 per cent stake in London Southend airport, but that the sale will be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Yesterday Sky News first reported that German-based Avi Alliance had made a £700m approach for a quarter of the airport, with [...]
Covid-19: IATA calls for $200bn in state aid for beleaguered airlines March 17, 2020 Industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that the world’s airlines may need up to $200bn in government support to see them through the coronavirus crisis. Airlines around the world are in talks with different governments regarding the possibility of state aid as the outbreak continues to devastate the aviation industry. Boeing, [...]
Airbus ‘may need government help’ if crisis continues March 17, 2020 European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has suggested that some government support may be needed if the coronavirus crisis lasts several months. The aerospace giant could seek measures to improve liquidity such as state-guaranteed credits, Reuters reported, citing three people familiar with the matter. The prospect of a worse-case scenario is said to have been discussed in [...]
Coronavirus: Government advises against ‘all but essential’ international travel March 17, 2020 The Foreign Office has advised against “all but essential” international travel in a dramatic increase in measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said today that the advice would be implemented with “immediate effect” and would be introduced for 30 days initially. Raab said the new measures were needed to prevent [...]
Transport department refuses to release Garden Bridge report March 16, 2020 The Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not release a report into the failed £48m Garden Bridge so it can protect a trust that no longer operates. The Garden Bridge Trust was set up to manage the disastrous project, which was championed by Boris Johnson when he was mayor of London and former [...]
European carmakers shutting plants as coronavirus hammers demand March 16, 2020 Car makers across Europe are shutting their plants and slowing production across Europe in response to the growing coronavirus epidemic. Manufacturers including European giants Fiat Chrysler, Peugeot and Volkswagen are all implementing measures to ease output amid fears from workers about possible infection. Unions across the continent have demanded that stricter hygiene controls be put [...]
Heathrow boss to forego salary as coronavirus hammers airlines March 16, 2020 Senior executives at Heathrow Airport including boss John Holland-Kaye will take pay cuts over the next few months as the UK’s busiest airport tries to limit the damage done by the coronavirus outbreak. Sky News first reported that Holland-Kaye would forego his salary until June, making him the latest of a number of airline and [...]